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Japanese Exotica Kondo, Leben, Luxman, Zanden

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  #11  
Old 05-05-2018, 12:45 AM
jzzmusician jzzmusician is offline
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Serge,

I really enjoy reading your posts. Would you please share your thoughts on the Primaluna compared to the Luxman?

Thanks in advance,

Bob
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  #12  
Old 05-05-2018, 01:46 AM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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Originally Posted by jzzmusician View Post
Serge,

I really enjoy reading your posts. Would you please share your thoughts on the Primaluna compared to the Luxman?

Thanks in advance,

Bob
Thanks Bob,

They are actually both great integrated amps. More similar than different really. I can easily live and listen to either and be perfectly happy.

Sometimes I can pick up on the slight advantage of the PrimaLuna digging deeper into the emotional content of music and harmonic richness like tubes can, only to compare to the Luxman and realize it's all in my head. They really are too much alike rather than significantly different. I would not want to bet any money on a blind test to guess which one is playing, even with a familiar recording. Well executed Class A design really does sound like tubes.

Judge for yourself. Listen to both carefully in the links below and decide for yourself which you think you like better. I'm glad I have both but I can neither decide nor part with either of them.

Luxman https://youtu.be/SRy8NyL7b1Y

PrimaLuna https://youtu.be/cssNqFBeNhw

Last edited by PHC1; 05-05-2018 at 02:05 AM.
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  #13  
Old 05-05-2018, 06:44 AM
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GreginNH1 GreginNH1 is offline
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That's just the Class A rating which is plenty but when you want to rock the house, The Class A 590AXII puts out a very healthy 2x95W and 2x165W into 8/4ohm. I doubt I have ever even left Class A with my 87dB speakers in a rather large room. I know the Prima Luna puts out much less and I have not been able to stress the tubed amp, let alone this Luxman.
I hear you on this fact Serge. It has always puzzled me that Luxman has never published the A/B specs on this amp. I think many potential buyers simply dismissed the Luxman due to the Class A rating.
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Last edited by GreginNH1; 05-05-2018 at 06:46 AM.
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  #14  
Old 05-05-2018, 09:08 AM
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Serge, you've got some really nice gear there! I'm also interested in the Luxman 590AXII... in order to simplify my system.
I hope you'll forgive me for the observations but the sound is a bit hollow and seems to lack a little body. Of course I don't know if it's the empty room, the speakers, the DAC, the cables or something else... Otherwise it seems resolute, fast, tonally rich and with a nice soundstage - as much as the video quality and the bit rate allows of course...
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Last edited by johndoe21ro; 06-04-2019 at 04:01 AM.
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  #15  
Old 05-05-2018, 09:44 AM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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Originally Posted by GreginNH1 View Post
I hear you on this fact Serge. It has always puzzled me that Luxman has never published the A/B specs on this amp. I think many potential buyers simply dismissed the Luxman due to the Class A rating.
Yep, I was a bit hesitant to get into a 30w Class A amp until I learned there is so much more overhead reserve.
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  #16  
Old 05-05-2018, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by johndoe21ro View Post
Serge, you've got some really nice gear there! I'm also interested in the Luxman 590AXII... in order to simplify my system.
I hope you'll forgive me for the observations but the sound is a bit hollow and seems to lack a little body. Of course I don't know if it's the empty room, the speakers, the DAC, the cables or something else... Otherwise it seems resolute, fast, tonally rich and with a nice soundstage - as much as the video quality and the bit rate allows of course...
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A few things going on, first it’s an iPhone recording to YouTube compression and then of course it will only sound as your playback chain on your end. Computer speakers? When I listen to my own video in quality headphones it gets closer to real life sound but of course it is still not it. The DAC used at the time of those videos was a $300 DAC module by the way. Does an $8k SACD/DAC from Luxman make a difference later? Yeah, it did. YouTube is not the best way to gauge the absolute sound quality obviously, but it gives one an idea none the less. I doubt very much you’d be disappointed with a Luxman integrated or separates. Pull the trigger and don’t look back.

Last edited by PHC1; 05-05-2018 at 09:59 AM.
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  #17  
Old 05-05-2018, 11:01 AM
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johndoe21ro johndoe21ro is offline
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I listened through my headphones but your points are valid enough. I'm sure you're right so you must forgive me for criticizing your system. As for the amplification I'm not sure which way to go... upgrading to BAT VK-655SE, going for Vitus SS-010 (25W in class A), going for the Luxman or for something completely different.
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Amp: BAT VK-655SE
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Speakers: Triangle Magellan Cello II
Cables: AudioQuest WEL XLR, AudioQuest Everest, AudioQuest Hurricane HC, AudioQuest NRG-1000, AudioQuest Diamond USB
Rack: Solid Tech Hybrid
Tweaks: Omicron Stabilizzatore Armonico & Gold Evolution SE; IsoTek Sigmas GII w Optimum EVO3; Furutech FT-SWS (R) AC Outlet; Synergistic Research Blue Quantum Fuse

Last edited by johndoe21ro; 06-04-2019 at 04:00 AM.
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  #18  
Old 05-05-2018, 11:43 AM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johndoe21ro View Post
I listened through my headphones but your points are valid enough. I'm sure you're right so you must forgive me for criticizing your system. As for the amplification I'm not sure which way to go... upgrading to BAT VK-655SE, going for Vitus SS-010 (25W in class A), going for the Luxman or for something completely different.
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Speakers: Triangle Magellan Cello II
Cables: AudioQuest WEL XLR 72v DBS, AudioQuest Everest DBS 72V, AudioQuest Hurricane High Current 72V DBS, AudioQuest NRG-10 72V DBS, AudioQuest Diamond USB 216V DBS, UpTone ISO Regen w USPCB A>B Adapter
Rack: Solid Tech Hybrid
Tweaks: Omicron Stabilizzatore Armonico & Gold Evolution SE; IsoTek Sigmas GII w IsoTek Optimum EVO3; Furutech FT-SWS (R) AC Outlet; HiFi Tuning Supreme 3
I didn't take it as criticism. My system is work in progress in the sense that the room is still not treated. Having said that, I am in no rush since it sounds great already and everything on top of that is icing on the cake.

You already have great components, spending $$$ will yield only marginal if any improvement. I've certainly enjoyed my BAT setup with Dynadio back in the day so I am familiar with BAT sound. Sometimes it's wise to just not do anything but enjoy what you already have. Probably most of the times but you know how this crazy hobby goes.
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  #19  
Old 05-05-2018, 03:39 PM
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DonBattles DonBattles is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
That's just the Class A rating which is plenty but when you want to rock the house, The Class A 590AXII puts out a very healthy 2x95W and 2x165W into 8/4ohm. I doubt I have ever even left Class A with my 87dB speakers in a rather large room. I know the Prima Luna puts out much less and I have not been able to stress the tubed amp, let alone this Luxman.


I’m with Serge on this. My L590aii supplies more than enough power to drive my Wilson Duettes. This will remain in my system and the only reason I would change is if I ever end up with a large listening room. In that situation I’d want some Luxman Class A mono-blocks.
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  #20  
Old 05-05-2018, 03:44 PM
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DonBattles DonBattles is offline
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My L590 in a much smaller room, but with acoustic treatment.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KsaKIolblYI
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